Day 16 Results
1. Sri Lanka v England
Being better but still losing by ten wickets is wonderfully bittersweet. Especially when you’re the England skipper and your own form is horrendous, your getting grief for not singing the side’s national anthem, and if you’re out of the Cricket World Cup if you don’t beat Afghanistan and Bangladesh in your last two games.
That’s what Eoin Morgan’s going through. Piling on three hundred he would’ve gone to lunch pretty satisfied with his teams work. Joe Root laid the platform with a well controlled hundred, and Jos Buttler finished it off with the death over impetus that the situation demanded. Lunch would have gone down well, with Morgan assuming his band of quicks would have no trouble defending the huge total.
But they couldn’t. They were never a chance as Sri Lanka waltzed to an imperious victory – by nine wickets and with 16 balls remaining. Centuries to Kumar Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne suddenly making Morgan’s position as captain looking shaky. Sangakkara was particularly masterful. His hundred coming from just 70 balls and upping the ante just when required. In fact, the hundred was Sangakkara’s quickest ever, and outlines the ominous form he is currently in (near his very best). Thirimanne also enjoyed the flat pitch as he looks more assured in his role at the tope of the order. His hundred means all of Sri Lanka’s top four have crossed the hundred mark in this Cricket World Cup.
England’s bowlers look dreadfully off the pace and are unlikely to worry any opposition batsman on these surfaces. Their two best bowlers (over a long period of time), Stuart Broad and James Anderson are averaging 92 and 91 respectively with the ball in the four games they have completed in the Cricket World Cup. They need to get the Kookaburra ball swinging and quickly if they are any chance to make the quarterfinals and then surprise someone in them.
A batting order change around is probably necessary too. We’d have Ali, Hales, Bell, Root, Buttler, Taylor, Morgan…
Sri Lanka 312 for 1 (Thirimanne 139*, Sangakkara 117*) beat England 309 for 6 (Root 121, Bell 49) by nine wickets
2. Pakistan v Zimbabwe
Pakistan finally got on the board at the Cricket World Cup with a gritty win over underdogs Zimbabwe in Canberra. Zimbabwe’s known achilles heal – their inability to contain run rates at the death – and their Betcirca predicted second achilles heal – inability to handle the bounce of Mohammed Irfan – ultimately cost them the game, despite being competitive throughout.
Pakistan are developing some fragilities of their own. The batting unit look well below par, and they were indebted to Misbah-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz for bringing some respectability to the total and ensuring the bowlers had something to defend. At 127/5 and 155/6 Pakistan looked to be sliding towards another World Cup defeat, and their place in the knockout stages was looking dicey. However, the ever patient ul-Haq and Riaz managed to put together a partnership of 47, and Riaz was able to continue the momentum in the final overs to help his team post 235. Zimbabwe conceded 73 from the last ten overs and put down two of the easiest outfield catches you’ll ever see, in a further example of the reason they can’t quite get wins at this level.
Zimbabwe’s chase started poorly. They lost three early wickets to Mohammed Irfan which derailed any chance of early momentum and meant they would always be chasing the game. Brendon Taylor did his best to hold the innings together, and Elton Chigumbura batted bravely in the face of a significant injury concern, but they still fell 20 runs short. Irfan added a fourth wicket, and Riaz matched his haul, while Umar Akmal had a hand in six dismissals.
Pakistan 235 for 7 (Misbah 73, Wahab 54*, Chatara 3-35) beat Zimbabwe 215 (Taylor 50, Irfan 4-30, Wahab 4-45) by 20 runs
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
